how-to-lose-hip-fat

For some bizarre reason, fats love to rest around the hips and thighs. This can come sometimes be due to genetics or even a medical condition, but in most cases, this simply isn’t so. Excess hip fat can be prescribed to lifestyle choices. However, if you’re struggling to fit those tight jeans lately, you’re not the only one. The latest statistics still show that 3/4 of the American population will likely be overweight or obese by 2020!

To permanently get rid of the problem, you need to adopt a wholesome approach. How? By combining proper diet, cardio exercises, and an overall shift of your focus towards making healthier lifestyle choices.

Here’s how to lose hip fat if you’re ready to take on this challenge:

Food-journal

1. Start A Food Journal

If you really want to lose hip fat, you should aim for natural weight loss.

To really start your natural weight loss program,  a food journal is a must-have.

The journal will help you track what foods you eat and also give you ideas about what elements you can change to aid you in your journey to overcoming the bulge.

It’s important to take note of your food intake in your journey to figure out how to lose hip fat.

In particular, take note of food portion sizes, high-fat foods, snacks, and liquid calorie foods you typically eat on a daily basis. A food journal will help you to identify a pattern and also help you to establish better eating habits.

2. Cut Your Caloric Intake

When you reduce the amount of food you eat, the body is forced to draw energy from its fat reserves, including the hips. To lose even more fat around the hip area, cut your caloric intake. Cutting 500 calories from your daily diet often results in a 1 to 2-pound loss each week. Use the food journal to determine the best way to cut the 500 calories.

Eating low-calorie foods will minimize the amount of fat reaching your waist. Excellent, low-calorie foods include lean protein sources such as legumes, seafood, poultry, eggs, and low-fat dairy products. Most fresh fruits and vegetables are also low in calories.

3. How To Lose Hip Fat With Exercise

There’s no way to get around it. A healthy regimen of exercise is your best bet to getting rid of excess hip fat. It doesn’t matter what your age or sex, any form of exercise if better than no exercise. Here are some exercises guaranteed to make you lose hip fat.

high-intensity-training

A) Do HIIT Exercises 4/5 Days A Week

High-intensity interval training or HIIT exercises,  4-5 times per week will be your quickest way to lose hip fat.

If your schedule does not allow for it, at least try 2-3 times per week. However, you can also do moderate cardio activities to match your fitness level if high-intensity training is not possible. Exercise is the only way to burn calories as well as body fat.

Although some of the exercises you do may not specifically target the hips, they will still help to reduce overall body fat and can help to tone the hip area to give you that slender curvy appearance.

When you combine HIIT with strength and bodyweight training, the results are amazing!

B) Prioritize Star Squatting

If you really want to lose hip fat, star squats might be the answer. Star squats target the stomach, thighs, butt, and hips, making it a vital workout if you are struggling with fat in all these areas (which is quite common).

Here’s how it’s done: Start with your feet hip-width apart and straighten your arms in front of you with the palms facing down. Most of your weight should be directed to your heel. Sit back like you’re trying to lower yourself into a chair, pushing your butt out behind you. Go down as far as you can or until your things are parallel to the floor. Pause for a second and go back to the starting position. Repeat.

Warrior-pose

C) Take Up Yoga

Yoga won’t torch your hip fat overnight, but certain yoga postures help reduce fat and tone muscles in the hips and thighs. Some of the postures to consider for hip fat loss include:

  • the chair pose
  • warrior pose II
  • lord of the dance pose
  • camel pose
  • head to knee pose

At the end of the day, hip fat won’t just go away on its own. Once you know how to lose hip fat, always keep in mind that losing the extra pounds might require a bit of effort on your part. The good news is that YOU can actually take control of the situation and make it happen.

how-to-lose-arm

Excess arm fat, what some people affectionately refer to as arm jiggle, is disliked for many reasons. Firstly, it can be unsightly and means that you have to keep off those small tops – even during summer. Worst of all, it can keep you from activities you previously enjoyed! Are you tired of wearing cardigans and long-sleeved tops to hide your arms?

The good news is that simple workouts and improved eating habits can change your life.  In fact, you can get rid of the fat in a matter of weeks if you’re really motivated!

Do you want to know how to lose arm fat? Here’s how to do it if you’re serious about making some changes.

Biceps, Triceps & Shoulders

flabby-arms

If you really want to lose that arm fat, there’s no way that you can avoid getting into a regular exercise routine.

Once per week, take time to train your biceps, triceps, and shoulders to tone your muscles. Eventually, you’ll begin to sculpt the muscles and notice the changes.

Consider barbell curls and rope curls for biceps. Tricep kickbackstriceps dips, and triceps overhead presses should cover the triceps.

Reverse fly and lateral raises will thoroughly work out the shoulders.

Repeat each move 15 times, rest for 15 seconds, then move to the next exercise for a total of three sets.

Full-body workouts develop lean muscle and increase metabolism, leading to faster fat burning. The best exercises to consider when you want to lose arm fat are those that involve every large muscle group. These include lat pull downs, overhead shoulder presses, triceps presses, bicep curls, lunges, and push-ups. Perform each exercise for three sets of 15 repetitions if you are able to. However, you can adjust your routine to suit your fitness level.

Remember, without the exercise and a change in your diet, arm fat won’t just dissapear on its own.

 

Perform 30-Minute Cardio

Cardiovascular workouts will increase the rate at which you burn arm fat.

You don’t have to strain. All you need is 30 minutes of the workout, five days a week. Options are endless.

You can jog on the treadmill, step on the stair climber, ride a stationary bike, or take a group fitness class.

Just make sure to switch up the exercises with each workout to keep the body guessing. In other words, no routines!

Focus On Natural, Low-Calorie Foods

What most people don’t understand is that when you eat sugary, calorie-filled foods, the calories must find somewhere to sit. For many people, it can end up in their arms. So, the best way to avoid arm fat problems in the first place is to avoid high-calorie foods.

how-to-lose-arm-fat

Go for low-calorie options such as foods in their natural form instead. These include whole grains, low-fat dairy products, eggs, vegetables, poultry, and lean meat. For your daily fat requirements, eat seeds, olive oil, avocado, nuts, and fruits. Take some time to do more research on the type of foods you can eat and start a food diary to keep track of what you eat.

Take some time to do more research on the type of foods you can eat and start a food diary to keep track of what you eat.

Say NO To Binge Eating

Eating just because you feel like it can actually be your biggest challenge in this whole process for some.

Emotional eating can often lead to more than just some fat in your arms. The worst part is that, often, you’ll feel like eating when it really isn’t necessary.

You must do your absolute best to resist this temptation…and you absolutely have to fight against the urge to binge eat. Binge eating is responsible for many problems in our bodies, not just flabby arms.

One of the best ways to fight the problem when trying to lose arm fat is to eat often enough so you don’t become “hungry.” Experts recommend eating five to six meals but keeping your portions to a minimum.

That said, make sure each meal has lots of proteins and carbohydrates so that you still keep healthy and have enough energy to get through your day.

Getting rid of arm fat might not be on everyone’s list of things to do for the day, but for many, it can be a life-changing experience. With these simple steps, you will be able to make some changes to help you get over the one thing that’s holding you back most – that excess arm fat.

how-to-lose-neck-fat

Neck fat, or the “turkey neck” as some might call it, is notoriously hard to eliminate. Luckily, it’s not impossible. There are a few steps you can take to help speed up the process and get the results you want if you’re really motivated.

Here’s how to lose neck fat if you’re serious about making a change.

1. Make A Diet Change

Losing weight, even if it’s a few pounds, requires a change in diet. Focus on eating fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats.

Avoid added sugars in coffee, tea, and sugary beverages.

Many pre-made or processed foods contain additives like maltodextrin or dextrose, which are sugars that could affect your overall body weight.

Also, pay attention to labels on packaged foods to see what’s in them before you buy them.  Over time, you will be able to recognize which foods to make part of your diet and which foods to avoid.

Fresh-fruits-and-vegetables

2. Get Some Exercise

Cardio exercise burns the most calories and increases your metabolism for about 24 to 48 hours. A faster metabolism means you’ll burn more fat.  HIIT, or high-intensity interval training, gives your metabolism a much longer boost and is the most effective way of burning any excess body fat. This can last up to 72 hours and burns even more calories than traditional cardio workouts.

However, if your fitness level doesn’t allow for it, any form of cardio at least 2-3 times per week will boost your metabolism. You should also add in strength training about three times a week. This tones and builds muscle which increases your metabolism, allowing you to burn even more fat.

3. Stay Hydrated

It sounds redundant, but drinking plenty of water is the key to making your skin look great.

Staying hydrated allows the body to remove toxins and waste, keeping your skin looking clear and radiant for longer. It also helps prevent wrinkles by keeping the skin from drying out. A well-hydrated body leads to much healthier skin.

You should aim to drink at least eight glasses of water per day.

For some people, it might be an adjustment to drink that much water every day, especially if you’re in the habit of drinking sugary soft drinks instead of water.

If you absolutely hate water, add a slice of lemon or lime to your glass. You can also try a variety of other fruits as well including raspberries. Adding a bit of mint will make your water cool and refreshing for those hot summer days.

4. Avoid Neck Exercises

You might think that neck exercise is the way to go if you want to lose neck fat, but this is just not true.  There are a number of exercises floating around the internet that suggest you can spot burn fat. These exercises, however, aim to strengthen the muscles around and under the jaw, which can have the opposite effect.

Instead of eliminating your neck fat, these exercises cause the muscles to become bulky, making your neck look even larger.

Bonus Step: Try Kybella

slim-neck-ladyOne of the newest injectable facial treatments on the market, Kybella, dissolves the fat cells in the neck-fat under your chin, preventing it from coming back.

Kybella is an organic product made of hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance in the body.

This is a good option for you if you have tried everything else, but it can take a couple of treatments to get the desired effect.

You should always talk to your doctor about the possible side effects before having the procedure done.

Always keep in mind, while getting rid of neck fat can seem like an impossible task, you can actually take some proactive steps towards losing the fat around your neck area.

Just follow these steps on how to lose neck fat, and if you have a real game plan and follow through with it, you’ll be on your

how-to-lose-water-weight

Are you wondering how to lose water weight? When we hear of excess weight, we often picture a fat person’s body.

However, not all weight is caused by fat or calories. Water too can cause weight gain.

Also termed as fluid retention or edema, water weight is a condition whereby the body holds excess water in the tissues, causing an uncomfortable bloated feeling. Water is essential in the human body, but when the body stores too much excess water, it can become a problem.

Fluid retention can result from lack of sleep, a poor diet or from medical issues such as a congestive heart failure. There are, however, a couple of ways how to lose water weight.

The condition is just temporary, not very serious, and one can easily get rid of excess water retention in the body. The following are quick and secure ways in which you can do so.

getting-onto-scale

Here’s  How To Lose Water Weight

Here are a couple of steps that you can put into action if you are wondering how you can improve your daily appearance and quality of life.

1. Have A Routine Exercise

Engaging in physical activities on a regular basis helps to maintain a natural balance of the body’s fluids. Through exercise, you will sweat which is a great way of losing excess water.

Sweat will also detox the body and get rid of some of the waste substances. A detox will gradually improve your physical appearance.

For faster results, go for aerobic or cardio exercises, as well as saunas and steam rooms, as these can guarantee you a lot of perspiration.

2. Always Stay Hydrated

Drink more water daily. The body tends to retain more water so that its levels cannot be too low.

Do not give your body the chance to hold on to extra water.

You can only do this if you remain dehydrated.

Drinking more water will not only help reduce water weight.

It will also help in your digestion and improve your mood and general health.

3. Include More Fiber In Your Diet

Foods such as fruits, raw vegetables, and cereals that are rich in fiber help to release the excess fluids and waste from your body by cleansing the colon, kidneys, and urinary tract.

Our bodies do not have the ability to digest fiber. Hence as it passes through the intestines, it will absorb a lot of water reducing water weight.

4. Get Plenty Of Rest

Always try to get more sleep. Enough sleep helps your body control the hydration levels, therefore, minimizing edema.

too-much-salt

5. Manage Your Salt Intake

Strive to maintain a balanced sodium level in the body.

Do not suddenly start consuming too much or too little salt. This may lead to a fluid imbalance in the body.

This may lead to a fluid imbalance in the body.

Processed foods always contain a lot of salt. This can lead to increased water weight gain.

6. Consume More Tea And Coffee

Coffee and tea are drinks that contain high caffeine content. Caffeine increases urine output which in turn decreases water weight.

However, the effect of these drinks will only be slight. You might consider going for an over-the-counter caffeine supplement.

how-to-lose-lower-back-fat

Are you wondering how to lose lower back fat or reduce it? There are many people who have fought this battle and believe that this is a battle that cannot be won.

This, however, isn’t true. Mainly because people lose faith caused by their frustration and that it isn’t always the easiest area to spot a difference.

There are, however, a few things you can do to totally eliminate this fat, and in the process, improve your overall health. Unfortunately, there is no magic exercise, pill, or shot to fix it.

A Guide On How To Lose Lower Back Fat

With these tips, it’s easy to see great improvements. You’ll be looking good in a tank top in no time.

lose-lower-back-fat-cardio-exercise

1. Lose Fat By Eating Fewer Calories

One thing people must understand about the fat on the back is that it is not a fast simple area to lose weight.

However, when we burn more calories than we take in, the fat around our bodies naturally disappears.

It isn’t enough to simply exercise it away, however.

There are other factors that come into play. So, it’s best to eat healthy foods that promote fat loss, such as lean protein and complex carbohydrates.

Also, it helps to create a calorie deficit of about 3,500 calories a week. This helps a person lose a pound each week, which is a very healthy rate.

2. Increase The Amount Of Exercise

Many people think that the best way to get rid of back fat is to work out the back.

This isn’t totally accurate…

Instead, it’s best to work on decreasing the fat around the entire body. Interval training can also help, but you should always assess your personal level of fitness before you take on any rigorous training regime.

Though targeting the back with exercise makes it stronger, it does nothing to eliminate the fat. If a person really wants to trim the back fat, a good exercise routine with cardio and strength training is the key.

Binge-eating

3. Improve The Diet

Some still believe that a calorie is a calorie, but that isn’t necessarily true.

A 100-calorie apple is much better for the body than 100 calories of cheese fries.

What is true, however, is that “you are what you eat.”

If you want to lose back fat, you have to eat healthy, non-processed foods such as fruits, vegetables, and low-fat protein sources.

This includes chicken breast, tofu, salmon, and even pork. However, preparation counts too, so grill, broil, or bake protein and limit fried or oily food.

4. Add Some Variety

Finally, it’s good to add some variety to both your diet and your exercise routine. For instance, start adding foods with essential fatty acids such as fish oil and nuts.

Also, people should change up their exercise routines. Adding exercises that are difficult, or changing the speed of the workout can also help. By making these small changes, improvements are quickly seen.

As you can see, whenever you’re trying to figure out how to lose lower back fat, one thing is abundantly clear.  It cannot be done with some effort on your part.

how-to-not-throw-up

If you have found yourself feeling sick, you probably want to know how to not throw up.

Whether you have bad stomach flu, food poisoning, or even seeing someone else throw up, it’s never a pleasant experience. No one likes throwing up.

Here’s how to not throw up when you’re desperate to keep it together.

1. Cool Yourself Off

Often, the sensation of vomiting is paired with a sudden onset of sweat and feeling hot. So, oftentimes, cooling yourself off helps you to not throw up. A cool, damp cloth on the forehead is an excellent way to do this.

You also might consider going somewhere cooler, such as an air-conditioned room or outdoors, if it’s cool.

2. Use Acupressure

You can also use acupressure if you want to know how not to throw up. This is a bit different than acupuncture. With acupressure, you apply pressure to certain areas of your body. To stop vomiting, put pressure on the P-6 pressure point. This is located on the wrist. Acupressure

To find the P-6 pressure point, put your arm out in front of you with your palm towards the ceiling. Use your other hand and place three fingers across the wrist. You are looking for the point that is three fingers width from the base of the wrist.

You should feel the tendons that go to the thumb under your fingers. When you find this point, begin applying pressure and a circular motion with your finger. Try to do this for two to three minutes, and then switch arms and repeat.

It’s important to try different things. If you’ve tried cooling off and it didn’t work, try something else. Propping your feet up can also help to stop vomiting. Lay flat on the sofa or a bed, and then prop your feet up with a couple of pillows. This also helps if you feel lightheaded.

3. Eat Something

Sometimes, eating something can help.feeling-nauseous

Starchy foods, such as saltine crackers, are always a good choice. Also, sweet drinks, such as Gatorade or ginger ale, can also help to ease an upset stomach.

Just make sure that you don’t drink anything acidic.

This will only make things worse.

Just pay attention to what your body is telling you and try to get something in your stomach.

Remember, for some people, the best option is to just go ahead and get sick.

If you are feeling nauteous because of something you ate, purging it from your body may be the best option.

4. Distract Yourself

It is also possible to avoid vomiting if you distract yourself from the feeling. Try gently biting your lip, giving your arm a weak pinch, or pull your hair with a slight amount of force. These actions help your body focus on the slight pain and no longer focus on nausea.

5. Relax

Finally, try a relaxation technique. This might include deep breathing, visualization, or even meditation. This helps your body relax and gets your mind off of throwing up.

If you seem to be struggling with a bout of nausea sometimes, these of are proven ways people have used in their search for a way on how not to throw up.

how-to-pick-a-lock

There are many reasons you should learn how to pick a lock. For one, it will help you better understand how locks work.  In fact, when you understand how locks are picked, you’ll be able to choose better locks for your home.

Additionally, people get locked in their cars or out of their homes all the time. Knowing how to pick a lock can be invaluable when the time comes. Fortunately, you don’t have to be special to pick a lock. Below we provide a step-by-step guide that can help you pick just about any lock.

When you know how to pick a lock, you will also be able to judge whether or not the locks you have on your doors are secure enough.

Step 1: Understand The Three Key Tools

A professional lock picking kit contains a tension wrench, lock pick, and raking tools. You may also need lubricating graphite. All these can be purchased at your local hardware store.

A tension wrench is also known as a torque wrench. It is an L-shaped or Z-shaped piece of metal inserted into the lock. to apply tension to the plug (the turning part of the lock).

Once inserted, this little device is used to apply tension to the plug (the turning part of the lock).

A lockpick is another piece of metal with a handle that narrows to a thin, pointed tip, curving slightly at its end. It is used to manipulate the inner pins of the lock mechanism.

Finally, a rake is a pick with multiple bridges that is scraped across the inside of the lock mechanism to disengage it.

Step 2: Understand How A Lock Actually Works

Most cylinder locks, like the one on your front door, use the same locking technique that has been around since 1861.

Basically, when you insert the right key into the keyway of the plug, the teeth of the key push-up spring-loaded pins.

Each of the pins contains two pins; a key pin and a driver pin.

In order for the plug to rotate, you need to lift each of the key pins and driver pins to the correct height. When you get it just right, all the pins align with the lock turning mechanism.

When you get it just right, all the pins align with the lock turning mechanism.

Lock-Picking

Step 3: Get To The Job

Insert the wrench into the bottom of the keyhole and apply slight pressure. This will push driver pins up one by one, with the slight tension keeping the pins from falling.

Insert a pick at the top of the lock and slide it all the way

Applying slight pressure to the wrench, scrub the pick back and forth in the keyhole. This helps to set the pins.

Repeat this back and forth motion until all the pins are set, at which point the lock will open.

If need be, consider picking the pins one at a time – a process known as single pin picking. It’s actually the easiest way to learn how to pick a lock.

Most importantly, keep in mind that practice makes perfect.

how-to-print-screen

Have you ever found yourself faced with a computer problem and you just want to show a friend the problem as it is on screen?

Do you want to quickly learn how to print screens?

The function of the print screen enables you to save a photo of the exact clear version of whatever you are seeing or dealing with on-screen.

There are times when you fall in love with a video clip so much that you just want to capture some parts and save them as photos.

But, how do you print the screen? It’s quite simple!

Did you know that print screen’s original use had nothing to do with capturing a screenshot? Under MS-DOS, the information is copied to a standard port for printing.

print-screen-button

How To Print Screen On Windows

If you have any device running on Windows, here is how to capture your screen:

Windows 7

If you are using Windows 7, you can use a feature known as the Snipping tool to print your screen.

To find the program, click on the start button and select All Programs.

Then, find the Accessories and click on it. The Accessories will open a list from where you will find the Snipping tool.

This program will enable you to capture a screenshot of any specific area of the screen that you so desire.

Once you open it, click New, select the area of the screen you want to capture, then click Save.

Windows 8 And Windows 10

Print-screen on Windows 8 and Windows 10 is a bit more automatic.

Just press the Windows key and the Print Screen key at the same time. This will capture the entire screen and the picture will automatically be saved to a Screenshot folder in the Pictures library.

However, if you do not wish to take the entire screen may be because there is personal information involved, you can instead use the Snipping tool.

How To Print Screen In Windows Mobile

With the latest highly advanced technology, we also have Windows tablets and smartphones.

These types of devices are more common than any other handheld device ever and now function as a digital wallet.

If you also have any of these devices, you can also take screenshots by pressing the volume-down key and the Power button both at the same time.

The image will then be saved in the Images library in the Screenshots folder.

Print-Screen-Apple-Mac

How To Print Screen On Mac

If you have a Mac device, taking a screengrab is way easier.

If you want to capture the entire screen, simply hold the Cmd + Shift buttons then press 3. The picture will be saved in .png format, together with the date and time taken. You can use a viewing program to change the format if you want to.

Sometimes you might just want to print part of the screen. In such a case, simply hold down the Cmd + Shift buttons then press 4. The next step will be to drag the crosshairs that will appear in place of your cursor and adjust them until you have the area of your screen that you want to capture.

The next step will be to drag the crosshairs that will appear in place of your cursor and adjust them until you have the area of your screen that you want to capture.

The screengrab will then be saved on your desktop as a .png file.

It’s that simple. In fact, it shouldn’t take more than a few seconds.

And, once you learn the trick, you can capture and share just about anything you see on your screen.

how-to-tie-a-bow-tie

Need to learn how to tie a bow tie? There is nothing is more dapper than a man in a bowtie. These accessories are elegant, masculine, and they certainly stand out in a crowd. However, knowing how to tie a bow tie is an art that has fallen out of most men’s daily routine.

Luckily, it’s not difficult with a bit of practice. Here are the steps for tying a bow tie:

Did you know that bow ties originated among Croatian mercenaries during the Thirty Year war of the 17th century?

Step 1: Place The Tie In The Correct Position

Lift your collar and place the bow tie so that it sits around your neck. As with a regular tie, one side of the bow tie should fall down longer than the other.

You don’t have to measure exactly, but try to have a couple of inches difference between the sides.

Tie-a-Bow-Tie-Step-One

Step 2: Cross And Loop

Take one end of the bow tie in each hand, and cross the longer side over the shorter side. This creates a loop between your neck and where the tie crosses.

Take the longer end of the bow tie and thread it through the loop. Pull both ends tight until the tie is comfortable around your neck. Then, drape the long end over your shoulder.

Step 3: Work With The Short Side

The next step in how to tie a bow tie is to focus on the short side. Find the widest part of the short side, and then fold it over onto itself.

Then, turn the short side a full 90-degrees, so that it’s now horizontal.

This should form a loop. It should point to the longer side.

Grasp the folded material at the thinnest part of the tie. It should be right in front of Adam’s apple.

Step 4: Grab The Long End

Next, take the long end and drape it over the skinny part of the short side.

Pinch the short side, which should look like a bow, and make sure the top of the long side is pinched between the sides of the bow.

striped-bow-tie

 

Step 5: Create The Bow

You still should have the long piece dangling between the bow. Take this piece and send it back through the small gap that you have created when you pinched the short side together.

Fold the long side onto itself as you did with the short side. Then, pull the loop through the hole.

If you did this correctly, it has formed the back of the bow.

Step 6: Finish The Bow Tie

Now, all you have to do is finish the bow tie. Begin to tighten and straighten the tie by pulling on and adjusting the loops.

Do not pull on the flat ends, only the loops. If you pull the flat pieces, it unties the tie.

Straighten the tie by twisting the knot, and then pull your collar back down, tucking it neatly behind the bow tie.

Take a final look in the mirror, and you are all set with a fresh bow tie.

And remember, even though you may not get it perfect the first time, keep trying. Very few things can improve your look more than a perfectly tied bow tie.

how-to-use-a-french-press-coffee

If you don’t know how to use a French press or have never even heard of one, you’re missing out on a great cup of coffee. It is one of the quickest and easiest ways to make a great cup at home or at work.

Designed in Italy, the French press looks like a beaker with a plunger in it. It allows you to steep coffee grounds in water. Then it separates those grounds from the water for the perfect cup of coffee.

Are you ready to try it yourself? Here’s how to use a French press and make a rich cup of joe every time.

Step 1: Heat The Water

The temperature of the water is one of the most important steps in brewing with a French press. For the best flavor, only use filtered water that is low in minerals.

Heat the water to between 195°F – 205°F. A kettle is the best way to do this, but a stainless steel pan will do in a pinch.

Don’t have a thermometer to heat the water to the right temperature? You can boil the water, remove it from the stove and let it sit until it reaches the right temperature.

As a guideline:

  • If you’re using 24 oz of water, wait 4 minutes before pouring.
  • If using 36 oz, wait eight minutes.

Depending on the type of kettle you have and your altitude, these times can vary.

water-boiling

You don’t have to stick to just coffee. A French press makes a great cup of tea too! Also keep in mind, by using the filter-less system, you allow the essential oils to diffuse throughout the drink as opposed to being filtered out. This makes the coffee more flavorful with more antioxidants and nutrients in your cup too.

Step 2: Measure And Grind Your Coffee

Unless you’re using pre-ground coffee, you’ll need to measure out your beans and then grind them.

It’s best to use a scale to measure out the coffee beans, but if you don’t have one, this guide can help you find the right water to coffee ratio.

Step 3: Preheat Your French Press

This step isn’t necessary.

However, if your French press is new or you haven’t used it for a while, it will eliminate any dust or debris that might find its way into your coffee.

It will also sterilize it (although if your French press is new, you need to clean it with warm soapy water before completing this step).

Pour in enough water to cover about one-quarter full of hot water and then push the plunger down into the water.

Swish the water around for a few seconds and then dump it out.

ground-coffee-beans

Step 4: Add The Coffee

Add your coffee grounds to the bottom of the French press and give it a little shake so that the grounds cover the bottom evenly.

Step 5: Pour The Water

Pour the water into the press and let the steeping begin. When the coffee is done (about four minutes) there will be a “crust” on the top of the water.

You can either remove the crust for a more lightly flavored coffee or break it up and stir it around into the coffee for a stronger brew.

Push the plunger slowly all the way down to the bottom of the press to remove the grounds from the water.  Then pour the coffee into your cup and enjoy the delicious flavor of handmade coffee!

Then pour the coffee into your cup and enjoy the delicious flavor of handmade coffee!

Now that you know the brewing method and how to use a French press, you will be making the most flavourful, rich, and smooth cup of joe you’ve ever had.